PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE ARMY www.ausa.org

IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 3 NUMBER 10 JULY 8, 2021

Perna Retires After Leading Vaccine Efforts 3 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Turns 100 4 Government Affairs Army Budget Concerns Remain 7

Chapter Highlights Col. Edward Cross Indiana Soldiers from B Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, watch helicopter activity over 8 , , on Oct. 3, 1993. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) 60 ‘’ awards upgraded n an announcement signed “Sine ordering a review of valor awards that were also U.S. casualties when a Black Pari,” the adopted motto of Army led to the decision. Hawk helicopter was shot down in late Special Operations Command that Twenty-eight years ago, U.S. sol- September by Aidid’s supporters, kill- Itranslates to “Without Equal,” officials diers deployed to Somalia to lead a ing three crew members. announced the unusual decision to up- coalition to capture the leaders of a A major operation was launched on grade valor awards for 60 soldiers for movement that had attacked United Oct. 3, with about 160 soldiers, includ- their extraordinary actions during the Nations troops the previous year and ing from the 1st Special Forces Op- 1993 combat operation in Somalia that to stop a civil war. erational Detachment-Delta and 75th became known as the Battle of Moga- After several attacks in 1993, in- Ranger Regiment, sent to capture two dishu. cluding a June ambush that killed 24 Somali rebel leaders. Fifty-eight soldiers will receive Sil- Pakistani soldiers and two August The rebel leaders were quickly ar- ver Stars, the nation’s third-highest bombings that killed four U.S. military rested, leading to gun battles on the award for valor, and two aviators will police soldiers and injured seven others, streets and rocket-propelled grenades receive the Distinguished Flying Cross Army Rangers and special operations being fired at Army aircraft. later this year in ceremonies hosted by soldiers were deployed as Task Force Armed militants shot down two MH- the units where the soldiers were serv- Ranger to find and capture Mohamed 60 Black Hawk helicopters, causing ing during . Farrah Aidid, the rebel faction leader. U.S. ground forces to converge on the The announcement credits former The result was many arrests and downed aircraft. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy for confiscation of weapons, but there See Awards, Page 3

July 8, 2021 | AUSA Extra 1

ASSOCIATION OF THE

Perna retires after leading COVID-19 vaccine effort en. Gus Perna, the former commander of Army Materiel Command who was chosen to helpG lead the government’s effort to develop, produce and distribute a new COVID-19 vaccine, has retired. Perna, who in July 2020 was con- firmed by the Senate to be chief op- erating officer of Operation Warp Speed, delayed his originally planned retirement from the Army to serve on the vaccine effort. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby praised Perna and retired Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski, who is return- ing to his civilian job after serving as director of supply, production and dis- tribution for Operation Warp Speed. “Both leaders were selected due to their vast experience as experts in logistics and acquisitions, to lead an Gen. Gus Perna, left, speaks with then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the vaccine operations center in Washington, D.C. (DOD PHOTO) incredible team including the best of government, industry and academic Department of Health and Human Abrams, who on July 2 relinquished professionals to develop, manufacture Services, according to the Pentagon. command of U.S. Forces Korea, Unit- and deliver safe and effective vaccines “We thank them and their team for ed Nations Command and Combined and therapeutics for the American their incredible success in what can Forces Command. people,” Kirby said June 29. be called a Herculean mission and “I count myself blessed for having The team at Operation Warp service to their country,” Kirby said. had the opportunity to serve with so Speed, which was subsumed by the Jeffrey Zients, President Joe many amazing people and wonderful White House COVID-19 Response Biden’s COVID-19 coordinator, professionals,” Abrams said in a fare- Team in February, accomplished its praised Perna in an interview with well video on Twitter. mission in 13 months. Bloomberg. Calling his time in Korea the “as- “To date they have helped deliver Perna has “been helping lead our signment of a lifetime,” Abrams said, over 390 million doses of COVID vac- nation through a war he probably did “It has been an immense privilege cines, and almost 1 million therapeu- not envision when he joined the Army and honor for me to serve as your tics for the American people,” Kirby in 1981,” Zients said. “He’s been a key commander.” said. driver of the success that we’ve had.” Gen. Paul LaCamera, who most re- DoD will transition leadership of Also retiring after decades of cently was commander of U.S. Army vaccine operational logistics to the service to the Army is Gen. Robert Pacific, succeeds Abrams in Korea.

Awards ported by Malaysian and Pakistani From Page 1 troops. An intense firefight ensued, result- Casualties were high in the 15 hours ing in the loss of 18 American soldiers. of battle. Posthumous Medals of Honor were In addition to the U.S. soldiers awarded to two — killed, two foreign soldiers were killed Master Sgt. and Sgt. 1st and 82 troops were wounded. Class — who provided Accounts of the Battle of Mogadishu cover for the down aircraft crews while became a book and a movie, both titled Soldiers from the 9th Psychological Op- awaiting rescue, a mission that ulti- Black Hawk Down. erations Battalion conduct U.S. humanitar- mately was achieved with a convoy of Details on the medal upgrades were ian aid relief efforts in Kismayo, Somalia, soldiers sup- not released. in the 1990s. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) www.ausa.org July 8, 2021 | AUSA Extra 3 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Nationwide events to mark 100th anniversary of Tomb of the Unknowns Voice for the Army – Support For the Soldier

Gen. Carter F. Ham, USA, Ret. President and CEO, AUSA Lt. Gen. Guy C. Swan III, USA, Ret. Vice President, Education, AUSA Luc Dunn Editor Desiree Hurlocker Advertising Manager Advertising Information Contact: Fox Associates Inc. 116 W. Kinzie St. • Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 800-440-0231 Email: [email protected]

ARTICLES. Articles appearing in AUSA Extra do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers or members of the Council of Trustees Vermont Army National Guard soldiers pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown of AUSA, or its editors. Articles are expres- sions of personal opinion and should not be Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. 1ST CLASS JASON ALVAREZ) interpreted as reflecting the official opinion of everal national and local events commemorations of the centennial. the Department of Defense nor of any branch, command, installation or agency of the Depart- are being planned to mark the For a list of events, click here. ment of Defense. The publication assumes 100th anniversary of the Tomb On March 4, 1921, Congress ap- no responsibility for any unsolicited material. ofS the Unknown Soldier at Arlington proved the burial of an unidentified Email: [email protected] National Cemetery, Virginia. American soldier from World War I in ADVERTISING. Neither AUSA Extra, nor its The monthslong commemoration the plaza of Arlington National Ceme- publisher, the Association of the United States will culminate in a ceremony at the tery, according to the cemetery’s web- Army, makes any representations, warranties or endorsements as to the truth and accuracy tomb on Nov. 11, and the public will site. Sgt. Edward Younger, a World of the advertisements appearing herein, and be able to participate in person and War I veteran who was wounded in no such representations, warranties or en- virtually. combat, chose the Unknown Soldier dorsements should be implied or inferred from the appearance of the advertisements in the Additionally, an official commemo- from among four identical caskets. publication. The advertisers are solely respon- rative publication from the Army Cen- The tomb has since come to symbol- sible for the contents of such advertisements. ter of Military History about the tomb ize the sacrifices of all U.S. service SPECIAL RATES. Individual membership fees will be released in October. members. payable in advance are $30 for two years, $50 A resource guide for the cemetery’s Congressman Hamilton Fish, who for five years, and $400 for Life Membership. A centennial commemoration is avail- in 1920 proposed the legislation to discounted rate of $10 for two years is available to members in the ranks of E-1 through E-4, able here. create the Tomb of the Unknown Sol- and for service academy and ROTC cadets and “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dier, said, “It is hoped that the grave OCS candidates. More information is available stands, physically and symbolically, of this unidentified warrior will be- at our website www.ausa.org; or by emailing [email protected], phoning 855-246- at the heart of the cemetery—and the come a shrine of patriotism for all the 6269, or mailing Fulfillment Manager, P.O. Box heart of the nation,” Karen Durham- ages to come, which will be a source 101560, Arlington, VA 22210-0860. Aguilera, executive director of Army of inspiration, reverence and love of National Military Cemeteries and country for future generations.” PERK OF THE WEEK Arlington National Cemetery, said in The Army has maintained a 24- a statement. “Every day at Arlington hour guard over the tomb since July Paying for college can be National Cemetery, we are aware of 2, 1937. Sentinels from the 3rd U.S. stressful. AUSA the special place that we hold in the Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) has partnered national conscience.” assumed those duties on April 6, with College Ave Student Loans to provide financing options without the stress. Members A group of nonprofit organizations, 1948, and they have maintained a get a .25% interest rate discount on all in- led by the Society of the Honor Guard, constant vigil ever since. school loans and .50% on the loan amount paid Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the For more information about the back to the borrower on all Refinance loans. Nerd Wallet and Forbes Magazine awarded Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Foun- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, visit College Ave a variety of “Best Private Loans” dation, is working to organize local www.arlingtoncemetery.mil. honors. Visit www.ausa.org/studentloans.

4 AUSA Extra | July 8, 2021 www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Leaders promise ‘consistent’ suicide prevention eff orts rmy Secretary Christine Wor- Wormuth promised no quick solu- muth says efforts are under- tions. way to tackle issues that might “It is going to take consistent year- Acause a service member to consider after-year focus and effort,” she said. suicide, citing behavioral health and “I think we are just going to have to fi nancial issues and relationship prob- continue working on it.” lems as possible causes. This is a deeply concerning issue “We have a historically high rate of for the new secretary. suicide in the Army right now, which “I’ve been in the job four weeks. is very concerning,” she told the I get emails every week, more than House Armed Services Committee. once, telling me that one of our sol- Part of the response comes in team- diers had committed suicide. It is ex- building efforts that make soldiers tremely disheartening and tragic. We feel more connected to their families, need to focus on it more.” squad mates and leaders. “It breaks my heart to lose people “If they have those connections, to suicide,” said Army Chief of Staff we have a better opportunity to get Gen. James McConville. “It breaks ahead of any potential problems,” my heart to lose any soldiers. There Wormuth said. is always something there about why The Army reported 377 suicides did this soldier not have the will to The Army is stepping up suicide preven- by active-duty members in 2020, a live? What would make them be in tion eff orts after the service reported 377 slight increase over the 348 deaths that position where they no longer suicides by active-duty members in 2020. in 2019. want to live?” (U.S. ARMY/SGT. 1ST CLASS BRENT POWELL)

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Paper urges US, allies to adapt to quickly changing world new Association of the U.S. Army Land Warfare Paper by Maj. Amos Fox suggests long- Aheld assumptions and principles of war are dangerously outdated. Many warfighting and battle-fight- ing concepts currently floating around Western military thought are flawed and fail to recognize how much the world has changed, Fox writes in his new paper, “On the Principles of War: Reorganizing Thought and Practice for Large-Scale Combat Operations.” The paper is available here. Soldiers with the 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade conduct training at the Joint Fox writes that combat leaders Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) and strategists must be prepared for great-power wars that, once started, leaves them unable to act or react, Fox, who previously served with would be difficult to end because and that opponents should never be the 3rd Squadron, 4th Security Force near-peer or fully equal competitors expected to do anything that jeopar- Assistance Brigade, has seven new won’t easily quit. dizes their own long-term well-being. assumptions and nine new principles In future conflicts, Fox says, wars If you think they are, your own in- of war in his paper, his latest in a will be won by depleting an opponent formation is probably incomplete, he serious of publications written exclu- through operations exhaustion that writes. sively for AUSA.

6 AUSA Extra | July 8, 2021 www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Time running out to pass defense funding legislation By Mark Haaland awmakers return this week to Washington, D.C., with much work ahead of them after cele- Lbrating Independence Day and work- ing in their states and districts. They will be very busy, as only 35 legislative days remain before fiscal 2022 begins Oct. 1. That is not a lot of time—especially for the Senate, where legislative debate can take days to weeks to pass legislation. On a positive note, all four con- gressional defense committees have met with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth (or, previously, acting Sec- retary John Whitley) and Army Chief Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment conduct air assault training at Aibano Training Area, Japan, July 1. (U.S. ARMY/PFC. ANTHONY of Staff Gen. James McConville. The next step for Congress is com- U.S. Army and others remain con- maintain readiness with fewer funds mittee markups of the Army’s budget cerned with funding for DoD and the than requested. request for fiscal 2022. Army. This is because of the consider- AUSA continues to advocate for The House Appropriations sub- able national security challenges our providing the military with the fund- committee on defense completed its country faces, and the requirement ing it needs to maintain and grow markup of the de- for the Army to be trained, ready and readiness in the next fiscal year and Government fense bill on June modernized for the future. beyond. Affairs 30. In a statement, AUSA also is concerned when Con- While the House Appropriations C h a i r w o m a n gress moves funding requested for defense subcommittee has completed Betty McCollum said total defense training and maintaining equipment its markup of the Pentagon’s fiscal funding is essentially the same as to modernization accounts. 2022 budget request, the other three the amount requested by the Biden While an increase in the modern- defense committees must still com- administration, $705.9 billion. ization accounts is needed, taking plete the task. The bills must then This amount is $11 billion, or 1.6%, those funds from accounts that pay pass in the House and Senate, and higher than the enacted amount for for individual, unit and institutional then lawmakers “conference” their the current year. training, and from accounts that sup- bills to agree upon a common bill for McCollum also noted the amount port maintenance, sustainment and the president’s signature. recommended by her subcommittee logistics, makes readiness more chal- While Congress can pass legisla- for the new fiscal year is $144 billion lenging to maintain and grow. tion quickly, speedy action is un- more than it was six years ago. Despite good intentions, this places likely. With limited time remaining, Nonetheless, the Association of the greater pressure on the military to AUSA foresees Congress will likely need to pass a continuing resolu- tion—or a series of them—to fund DoD going into the new fiscal year. On-time passage of the National Defense Authorization Act and the defense appropriation bills are the top recommendations from AUSA, and we will continue to advocate with Con- gress and magnify public dialogue on the importance of passing this legis- lation as soon as possible.

On-time passage of the National Defense Authorization Act and the defense appropria- Mark Haaland is AUSA’s Government tion bills are the top recommendations from AUSA. (ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL PHOTO) Affairs Director. www.ausa.org July 8, 2021 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Chapter supports New Hampshire Army monument repair he Association of the U.S. Army’s Col. Edward Cross chapter in New Hampshire is Tsupporting efforts to repair the Army monument at the New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. Due to extreme temperatures, the glass face has cracked, and water has damaged the monument. The New Hampshire Veter- Col. Edward ans Cemetery As- Cross sociation identified the problem, and architects are working “on a more weather resistant structure that should bring the monument back to its original grandeur and splendor,” Architects are working on an improved structure for the New Hampshire Veterans Cem- according to a chapter newsletter. etery Army monument. (NEW HAMPSHIRE VETERANS CEMETERY PHOTO) Chapter donations totaled $500, half for the initial building of the cemetery association. Col. Greg d’Arbonne, the chapter monument and another $250 for the “Since our AUSA chapter covers president. rebuild. the entire state of New Hampshire, Donations can be made by check, Two executive committee members we feel it is our obligation to donate payable to the NH Veterans Ceme- of the AUSA chapter, retired Navy and solicit donations to repair the tery Association Inc., (Army Monu- Cmdr. Dave Kenney and retired monument. This is our Army monu- ment repair) and mailed to P.O. Box Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Rice, are ment; we should ensure it is a monu- 626, Concord, NH 03302, or online founding and current members of the ment we can be proud of,” said retired by clicking here.

Outstanding students receive scholarships from AUSA ight exceptional students, in- cluding three ROTC cadets, received scholarship awards Efrom the Association of the U.S. Ar- my’s Indiana chapter during a lun- cheon June 24. Maj. Gen. Timothy Thombleson, commanding general of the Indiana National Guard’s Indiana 38th Infantry Di- vision, was the guest speaker for the event, which was held in the Garrison Restaurant at Fort Harrison State Park. “This event is by far the most im- portant annual event for the chapter, our chance to make a difference in Students, families, AUSA members and chapter donors, sponsors and Community Part- ners attend the scholarship awards luncheon. (AUSA PHOTO) the lives of some truly outstanding young people,” said Cynthia Gatto, companies or organizations that were chapter’s scholarship and luncheon the chapter president. donors, sponsors or Community Part- chair, it was the largest annual Among the more than 50 attend- ners of the chapter. scholarship luncheon ever held, ac- ees were representatives from eight Organized by Audrey Smith, the cording to a chapter newsletter.

8 AUSA Extra | July 8, 2021 www.ausa.org